Rugby now more popular than football AND GAA?!

**SwanVsDalton** · 06/10/2011, 1:13 PM

No need for all this fussin and a'feuding. Take ROG's example, and everyone just get behind everyone else. Via Twitter:

RonanOGara10 Ronan O Gara
And best of luck to the other boys in green in andorra on Friday... we're all rooting for ye here... Come On Ireland!

**Charlie Darwin** · 06/10/2011, 1:20 PM

Tevez and Ireland are just awful in general though. Richard Dunne and Stephen Hunt are every bit as thoughtful as the rugby lads. I'm sure there are a few flash blokes within Irish rugby who are kept away from the media. Look at the likes of Henson and O'Connor for bad examples in rugby.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/10/2011, 1:41 PM

Originally Posted by SwanVsDalton

No need for all this fussin and a'feuding. Take ROG's example, and everyone just get behind everyone else. Via Twitter:

RonanOGara10 Ronan O Gara
And best of luck to the other boys in green in andorra on Friday... we're all rooting for ye here... Come On Ireland!

Nice also to see Hunt, Kelly and Long(?) all cheering the rugby lads.

Not like the Irish to try and drive a wedge where no divide exists (insert sarcasm smilie).

**Sullivinho** · 06/10/2011, 1:43 PM

Originally Posted by Fixer82

I'm just happy we're such a competitive and proud sporting nation, no matter what we are competing in. There's room for us all

My thoughts exactly. Well said.

**cullenswood** · 06/10/2011, 3:53 PM

The current Irish soccer team has lost the support of the traditional Irish bandwagon supporter. People that would have been huge soccer supporters 11 years ago now follow Munster and Leinster even though a huge majority would fail a quiz on Rugby Union rules.
This has given the hard core Rugby people the right to dismiss the Irish soccer team as not reflective of them and in some respects "lower class". A bit of success will change all that, and those same people who haven't watched a European or World cup qualifier in 10 years will be in a pub next June with an FAI jersey on and the Leinster jersey in the wardrobe.

**OwlsFan** · 06/10/2011, 5:39 PM

The "decline" in support began with Saipan. Then
the Kerr/Staunton eras failed to ignite and Trap's reign
hasnt brought the barstoolers back for a number of
reasons, not least the economy. We haven't qualified for anything for almost 10 years now while the Irish rugby team automatically gains entrance to the WC and is 2nd seed in the group so should advance. Rugby had the advantage there. I'll be cheering on the rugby team on Saturday but I'd take 6 points any day from the next two games to a rugby World Cup win .

**wonder88** · 06/10/2011, 8:21 PM

Just noticed in town (Galway) this evening quite a few people young and old wearing Irish rugby jerseys. It looks like rugby has overtaken soccer as far as the general Irish public is concern these days.

**Bungle** · 06/10/2011, 8:46 PM

At the end of the day, the vast vast majority of Irish people want to see Ireland do well in all sports.

I am so proud of the Irish rugby team and I'll be cheering them every bit as much, as I would the other boys in green on Friday/Tuesday. The same goes for any Irish athlete/boxer etc.

I think people need to luck at the issues at work, rather than criticise the Irish population as being bandwagon. The Irish football team lie somewhere between distinctly average and good as international football teams go. Allied to this, they don't play an attractive type of football (Trap does have us playing a way that is also going to give us a chance of getting to tournaments to be fair). Meanwhile, the rugby team drawn mostly from two of the biggest rubgy clubs in the world (Leinster and Munster) have some of the very best players in the world.

I grew up in what would be one of the "traditional" football areas of Dublin and I've supported the Irish football team all over the world. If I'm being honest, this week I've spent as much time thinking about whether Rory Best would be fit for the Wales match, as I have thinking about whether Doyler should start against Andorra/Armenia. Does this make me a bandwagon supporter or just a guy who sees the Irish rugby team as a great bunch of lads doing us proud?

The FAI played a part in alienating alot of the public. During the good times, they charged through the roof for tickets and took all of us for granted. Alot of people I know who care about the Irish team are losing their jobs, or have very little disposable income, so paying 50 quid for a ticket to see Ireland play Macedonia etc isn;t as simple as it was 5 years ago. I will always go to the Ireland games, but perhaps, when the Irish team starts playing more attractively, then alot of those people might consider spending what little money they have on going to see Ireland again.

**Charlie Darwin** · 06/10/2011, 9:28 PM

Originally Posted by wonder88

Just noticed in town (Galway) this evening quite a few people young and old wearing Irish rugby jerseys. It looks like rugby has overtaken soccer as far as the general Irish public is concern these days.

Bear in mind we're in a recession and A) the type of person who has the money to buy replica shirts, B) the type of person who has the money to go out in town, and C) which team has been playing games the past few weeks.

**Stuttgart88** · 06/10/2011, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by wonder88

Just noticed in town (Galway) this evening quite a few people young and old wearing Irish rugby jerseys. It looks like rugby has overtaken soccer as far as the general Irish public is concern these days.

There's not a statistician in the world who'd query the validity of that conclusion based on that evidence. Or then again...

**Murfinator** · 06/10/2011, 11:29 PM

Big week for Ireland across both games. Very exciting time to be a sports fan in this country.

**mypost** · 06/10/2011, 11:51 PM

Originally Posted by wonder88

Just noticed in town (Galway) this evening quite a few people young and old wearing Irish rugby jerseys. It looks like rugby has overtaken soccer as far as the general Irish public is concern these days.

Only a few weeks ago, the ruggers were getting hammered by every media outlet. Now they've beaten Russia and America, and now suddenly everyone claims to know the difference between a ruck and a maul.

If our football team get the results we need to qualify direct this week, it'll put whatever rugby achievements there are atm in their place. Even if all three results we need are 1-0.

**shakermaker1982** · 07/10/2011, 6:22 AM

I think beating Australia is the reason for the rugby love in mypost. You know, that country that won the most recent Tri Nations and tipped for great things at this WC.

If Ireland get to a semi final and final in the rugby WC then I think it would overshadow whatever happens with the football team. It doesn't bother me....I hope we are successful in both sports over the next few days.

**mypost** · 07/10/2011, 6:37 AM

Even though it was a surprise result against Australia, Australia aren't the force they were.

Rugby's hardcore is D4 and Limerick. Football is the most active sport in the country. If we qualify next week, nothing the rugby do can eclipse it, and there's nothing like Ireland in a major football tournament for a mass feel good factor across the nation, irrespective of class, wealth, age, or sporting preference.

**jbyrne** · 07/10/2011, 7:03 AM

Originally Posted by mypost

Even though it was a surprise result against Australia, Australia aren't the force they were.

Rugby's hardcore is D4 and Limerick. Football is the most active sport in the country. If we qualify next week, nothing the rugby do can eclipse it, and there's nothing like Ireland in a major football tournament for a mass feel good factor across the nation, irrespective of class, wealth, age, or sporting preference.

this ill-informed nonsense does your argument no good at all. have a look at the AIL league tables and tell me how many of those clubs are in D4 and Limerick?
sure LOI football in this country is hugely dublin based.

edit: 14 "D4" and limerick AIL clubs vs 38 for rest of country. clubs from cork, antrim, galway, tyrone, down, derry, wicklow, tipperary, meath, sligo, armagh and kildare. not to mention numerous junior clubs popping up all over the country in recent years

i think the football community needs to wake up to the fact that rugby and the GAA are a big threat before its too late

**bennocelt** · 07/10/2011, 7:52 AM

Originally Posted by Bungle

I think people need to luck at the issues at work, rather than criticise the Irish population as being bandwagon.

The FAI played a part in alienating alot of the public. .

Agree. I'm looking forward to the rugby game this weekend and couldn't give a fanny adam about the football today or next Wednesday. The likes of John Delaney, O Brien, the obscene salaries, the mono -syllabic players and their antics, the style of play, the total disregard towards the LOI and the ole ole fans - nah, wouldnt be into that any more.
Give me club football anyday of the week

**AlaskaFox** · 07/10/2011, 7:56 AM

Originally Posted by jbyrne

this ill-informed nonsense does your argument no good at all. have a look at the AIL league tables and tell me how many of those clubs are in D4 and Limerick?
sure LOI football in this country is hugely dublin based.

edit: 14 "D4" and limerick AIL clubs vs 38 for rest of country. clubs from cork, antrim, galway, tyrone, down, derry, wicklow, tipperary, meath, sligo, armagh and kildare. not to mention numerous junior clubs popping up all over the country in recent years

i think the football community needs to wake up to the fact that rugby and the GAA are a big threat before its too late

27% of all the clubs in the country is a hell of a lot though. So it's hard to argue with his reasoning. Surely two areas that have more than a quarter of the clubs from the whole island are the "hardcore" areas like he states.

You're also right to say it's popular around the country, but you can't dispute that it's in those two regions where it's most popular.

**mypost** · 07/10/2011, 8:08 AM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

Agree. I'm looking forward to the rugby game this weekend and couldn't give a fanny adam about the football today or next Wednesday. The likes of John Delaney, O Brien, the obscene salaries, the mono -syllabic players and their antics, the style of play, the total disregard towards the LOI and the ole ole fans - nah, wouldnt be into that any more.

Show us your passport.

We all have a love-hate relationship with the FAI. But we have to put that crap aside when the national team are playing.

**jbyrne** · 07/10/2011, 8:13 AM

Originally Posted by AlaskaFox

27% of all the clubs in the country is a hell of a lot though. So it's hard to argue with his reasoning. Surely two areas that have more than a quarter of the clubs from the whole island are the "hardcore" areas like he states.

You're also right to say it's popular around the country, but you can't dispute that it's in those two regions where it's most popular.

there are hardcore areas fair enough but the same could be argued about our football clubs. arent 25% of the league of Ireland clubs from Dublin alone?
which international squad has a better spread from around the country? id say its rugby by far. only 2 of the team v andorra that were actually born here are from outside dublin. only 4 dubs will start for the rugby tomorrow with players from wexford, monaghan, cork, limerick, carlow and antrim.

my point was that its ignorant to just dismiss rugby in this country as largely being from just two areas.

**Macy** · 07/10/2011, 8:31 AM

I don't believe that Rugby will beat football in popularity. However, the FAI should be seriously concerned about where the national team sits. They've managed to pee off many LoI supporters who won't go, and many of those that follow UK football are feeding in to the whole club more important than country vibe, on top of some of the other issues around the national team (pricing, style of play etc).

Due to stupid priorities, the FAI's main source of income is the National Team, and that's where the threat is. Rugby is getting the numbers through the gate - there's little money for the FAI in the numbers playing the game in junior leagues around the country, even if that dwarfs rugby. And then rugby re-invest it in local teams and youth development and so the cycle continues...